The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical connectors, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for attaching electrical contacts to the ends of electrical conductors.
A coaxial electrical connector generally comprises an assembly which includes an electrically conductive center contact, an electrically conductive outer shell and a dielectric insulating body for supporting the center contact within and for electrically insulating the center contact from the outer shell. The connector is typically assembled by inserting the center conductor of a coaxial electrical cable axially into a conductor-receiving passageway of the center contact and then crimping the center contact around the conductor to secure the contact to the conductor. The attached contact is then inserted axially into the dielectric insulating body either before or after the insulating body is positioned within the outer shell.
Attachment of the center contact to the center conductor of the coaxial cable is usually performed by hand by relatively skilled personnel using a hand-held crimping tool and other appropriate equipment, and is an inefficient process which is not fully satisfactory in a high speed, mass production environment.